I’m really not sure what it says about our current state of affairs that I’m moderately pleased and a little surprised that Tom Coburn and Rick Warren have now both spoken out against a law authorizing the execution of homosexuals in Uganda, but that is where we are, I suppose. I guess I should just be happy it was a twofer with Warren, as he denounced the law and invoked Burke.
Archives for 2009
Christmas carols
I realize these aren’t the most important questions in the world, but I’m stuck in an airport listening to Christmas carols and I have to ask: what is the reason for the strange changes to the lyrics of Christmas carols? Why does Frank Sinatra sing “hang a shining star upon the highest bough” when earlier versions (e.g. Ella) sang “until then we’ll have to muddle through some how”? Was this one of those important cultural changes, like putting all the God stuff on the money, that brought the Commies to their knees?
And why is “and pretend that he is Parson Brown” sometimes changed to “and pretend that he’s a circus clown”?
Update. Okay, I see that the answer to the second question is that “Winter Wonderland” has two verses.
Thoughtful, principled conservatives
They’re just as nucking futs as the others:
Last night I read a post over at Volokh about how climate data was being faked. I sighed and moved on. Then, about an hour ago, I got an email from a conservative reader asking if the Volokh post undermined my faith in global warming. I told him it didn’t. Then, a few minutes later, I noticed Megan McArdle linking to the same post. Obviously this thing wasn’t going to go away quietly.
Not Conservative Enough
John Cornyn and Mitch McConnell, with their lifetime ratings with the ACU of 92 and 90, respectively, are about to get purged from the big tent party/ party of ideas:
DeMint, in an interview with the Christian Broadcast Network, also said that he is trying to recruit a new crop of GOP lawmakers to challenge the party establishment.
“The problem in the Republican Party is that the leadership has gone to the left,” he said. “I need some new Republicans.”
DeMint’s comments come as party leaders such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) chairman John Cornyn (R-Texas), and RNC chairman Michael Steele have come under fire from several conservative bloggers and conservative grassroots activists.
The teabaggers have their marching orders from Rush, so heads must roll. Rush is apparently pissy that McConnell has not completely blown up the Senate to stop any Democratic bills.
Related, you have to watch this Colbert Report segment with Phyllis Schlafley’s insane son, the founder of our beloved “conservapedia.”
E & P Closing
Editor and Publisher, around since 1884, is closing:
Yes, it’s true, my magazine, E&P, axed today, out of job. At office until end of year–and here, of course.
You would think that would be a brand that one of the new media sites would want to snap up ala Froomkin.
Meanwhile, the Politico is still on the Pulitzer board.
Open Thread
Photos are back! Apologies for the long delay. I was busy as hell, then sick, then sick and busy as hell, and yesterday I don’t even want to talk about.
fallsroad, The Machinery of Joy.
LT in Oregon, Lwater.
Email me a link to your one or two favorite pics on a photo site like Flickr (do not send the image itself please) and I will put up favorites in open threads. Send a short caption if you want one.
Click on the photos for a link to the photographer’s website. To see all photo threads, click on ‘photo blogging’ at the bottom of the post.
If your computer cannot read our email links at top right, my email is (remove the zeroes): portus0jackson0ii at yahoo dot com.
Another Reminder
The ACLU has a funding problem:
A longtime anonymous donor to the American Civil Liberties Union has withdrawn his annual gift of more than $20 million, punching a 25 percent hole in its annual operating budget and forcing cutbacks in operations.
Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the A.C.L.U., acknowledged in a written statement that a “family” had told the organization in September that it could not make its annual gifts, at least for next year.
“This family, that has sought to protect its privacy by arranging its gifts anonymously, notified us last month that due to market conditions it will be unable to make its expected sizable donations of over $20 million,” Mr. Romero said.
Twenty million is a sizable hole in any nonprofit’s budget, so if you have been holding off on renewing your membership, now would be a good time to go give.
Also, as was noted in the comments the other day, if you do donate, you get to tell everyone you are an official “card carrying member of the ACLU,” which is always fun.